Light of Hope
by Allrounder
Summary: The Rose had taken over most of Lore, all except Falconreach. They had repeatedly waged wars against the place, but it had come into a stalemate. But when Artix finds a mysterious girl during one of his patrols, the find out that she is a key piece against The Rose. But with The Weed, the head of The Rose at their doorstep, they had better wake her up soon.
1. Lysteia

AN: I had wanted to post this earlier, but I needed something to write about. Like The Rose. Mwahahaha…MWAHAHAHA! *Cough cough*

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Artix Entertainment games.**

Falconreach. It all starts there. The Rose had failed again and again to take it over, after the fact of Alteon's hypnotism came to light. The places where The Rose had taken over nearly everywhere in Lore, all except DragonsGrasp, for they were far too high in the sky. All heroes in Falconreach daily dispatch themselves all around Lore to rescue those that were on the run in The Rose-controlled places. But, even though they were holding out extremely well, the war became a stalemate due to the hypnotizing powers of The Weed, the head of The Rose. Even Warlic himself found it hard to resist The Weed's powers over an indefinite time.

**-Paragraph Break-**

Artix ran through the forest of Doomwood, which was his version of patrolling the area. Actually, Artix didn't mind The Rose, but when they eliminated the Necromancers and undead, he snapped. He nearly destroyed Oaklore, before Rolith dragged him away. Right now, the entrance to the Necropolis was pretty much a mountain of glowing rubble. Artix really had no expectations for anything interesting, but when he heard a scream from his right, he was knocked off his feet.

"Come over here, Magic User!" Irtes Prede, the commander of the squadron of Rose members, yelled. The cloaked figure just ran faster. "Grr… GET HER!" The members ran faster, but the difference of distance was far too much. But then, the figure slammed into a tree and let out a short, pained scream. Seeing a chance, a burst of speed pushed them forward, shadowing over her. They forcefully propped the figure up against the tree and pulled off the hood. A lightly freckled face with a combination of fear and anger sprouted out.

"Magic User... Scum." He muttered before drawing out a handful of chains. At the sight of the chains, she gave a roundhouse kick, knocking all of them to the ground. But as she ran, she ran into another tree which was right beside the tree. "What's with this PLACE?!" She yelled, before falling to the ground again.

This time, they pinned her arms and legs against the tree. Irtes stepped forward. "Now, you are coming with us, Magic-." He couldn't finish his sentence before a sword went through his chest. The rest soon followed. Wiping his brow with his sword handle, Artix extended his other hand to her. "Hi. I'm Artix."

She stood up and shook his hand. "I-I'm Lysteia…" She whispered, reaching into her cloak. "Are you from Falconreach?" Artix nodded. "Yes. Why?" Lysteia stuck out her arm with a clean black pouch in her grip. Artix grasped it and looked inside. There was blue dust in the pouch. "What's this?" Lysteia retracted her hand. "Give that to Warlic the Blue Mage. He…is, in Falconreach, right?" Artix nodded as he tucked it in his pocket. "Good then. Goodbye."

Lysteia pulled on her hood, and started to leave before Artix put a hand on her shoulder. "You should come with me to Falconreach. You'll be safe there." Lysteia just detached the hand and turned her head slightly. "No need. As long you pass that pouch to him, I…am…no…longer…a…concern…" She suddenly collapsed. "Lysteia? Lysteia!" Artix placed two fingers to her neck. "Still pulsing. Maybe Warlic would know who she is."

Artix then carried her back to Falconreach on his back, not knowing that he was carrying the light of hope for the world of Lore.

AN: Is this good? Read and Review.


	2. Magi Gathering

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Artix Entertainment games.**

When Artix brought Lysteia back to Falconreach, almost the entire population crowded around them. With the huge amount of people, it took Artix half the day to bring him to the Guardian Tower. Even in the tower, the Guardians were curious about the girl. He took the other half of the day to reach Warlic. Well, not half of the day. A quarter is more like it.

"Hey…Warlic…" Artix panted, having pushed his way through villagers throughout the day. "Hmm? What is it, Artix?" Warlic asked, snapping shut the blue mage book he was reading. "Give…me…a…few…seconds…" Artix rested his hands on his knees, allowing Warlic to see the sleeping blonde girl on his back. "Artix, why is there a girl on your back?" Artix finally recomposed himself. "Yeah. I found her when I was on patrol. She was being chased by Rose members, so I saved her. She asked me to give this to you." Artix used a spare hand to give Warlic the black pouch.

Warlic looked curiously inside. A moment of silence passed. Suddenly, Warlic's mouth opened in surprise. He suddenly swept all the papers on his wooden desk onto the floor. "What the- Warlic? What the heck are you doing?" Artix asked, confused. "Artix! Place her on the table! NOW!" He commanded, his composure broken. Artix hesitantly did as he said.

Warlic tore off the cloak, revealing the yellow-colored, runed robe underneath. He hovered his hand over her, blue magic seeping from his hand to the girl. "I'm going to release the runes." Warlic muttered to no one in particular. But what he said was far from what had happened. He was blasted back in a blow of grey, translucent magic, his back slamming against the wall.

Artix immediately went over to help Warlic up. He slapped Artix's hand away. "No time. Go get all the mages you can find. Nythera, Cysero, Beleen, I don't care! Get all the people that know how to at least cast a fireball here right now!" Warlic ordered, which Artix complied.

**-Paragraph Break-**

_**Lysteia's POV**_

I can feel them. They are trying to break my runes. What a futile effort. The only person that can break them is **him,** but he was already dead. Even if they could break them, what good would I do? The only thing I can do is… never mind. If they can read my mind, I had better not reveal that to them yet.

Even heroes could be villains.

**-Paragraph Break-**

The mages were surrounding Lysteia, who was now on the floor. The mages had their arms outstretched, dispersing their colored magic to her. But barely before they could even start, all of them were blasted back, some of them even going out of the window. Cysero rubbed his head and faced Warlic. "Seriously, these runes are strong. Not even you can break it. But who is she?" Warlic wasn't in the mood of explaining, so he gave him the simple explanation. "She's my old friend."

"Then why isn't she old?" Warlic shot Nythera a look. She raised her hands in defense. "Just sayin'." Xan floated back to the Guardian tower. "Really? You purified me for this?" Warlic rubbed his temples. "Why are we even trying?" Warlic looked at the said person in surprise. "Okay, WHO INVITED DAGE?" Artix ran down the steps. Warlic held his head in his hands. "Will everybody please get out of this place?!" They didn't hesitate.

But Cysero remained. "Cysero, GO!" "No, dude. We need to talk. Who is she?" Cysero pointed at Lysteia. "What do you want?" Warlic asked. "Dude, you grouped every magic user in the world, namely Falconreach, just for this gal. Who. Is. She?" Warlic snapped his head back and gave a deep sigh. He just had to tell someone one day. And it had to be the Magical Mad Weaponsmith.

He recollected his past, past memories and began his story.


	3. The Weed

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Artix Entertainment games.**

"Before I became an apprentice, I grew up somewhere around the place that my tent was. I lived alone, so I had to go into the forest to gather firewood, hunt and all that. But one day, I was ambushed by a group of Clawkin Wanderers. The only thing I had were a few herbs and an axe. Something like Artix when I had first met him. But I wasn't used to fighting, so I couldn't take more than a few of them with my basic spells and axe. That time, the Clawkin Wanderers were killers, not thieves. So, when they knocked me down, they started stabbing me with their claws." Warlic started.

"So then she came along, huh?"

Warlic nodded. "Yes. She came along and they just fell dead. She was only seven, I think. I was six that time. She somehow healed me and helped me to get home safe. After all, Clawkin Wanderers always hunt in clans. But every time a Wanderer approached us, they immediately fell dead. When we got back, she suddenly disappeared. I never saw her again until I became an Archmage. It was when I told a hero to get a reagent from the Fire Cave. When I was waiting for him to return, she suddenly appeared in front of me. Then she- Hey!"

Cysero began snoring. Warlic bopped him awake. "What? Were you finished?" Warlic slapped a hand on his face. Warlic gave a deep sigh and began down the steps. "Never mind. Get her to the Inn and get her a room. I'll be there shortly." Cysero nodded and carried Lysteia on his back down the steps…

_**Oaklore**_

"Report." Irtes Prede approached Commander Kiired, limping slowly. He was wounded in the shoulder and had a broken leg, so he had to wear crutches throughout his service. "Sir. All has survived. Assailant is most likely Artix von Krieger, former Paladin of Doomwood." "Target?" "Target is a girl named Lysteia." Kiired shot up from his seat. "State?" He anxiously asked. "Scouts say she is unconscious." Kiired breathed a sigh of relief. "Very well. I will report to The Weed immediately." "Sir!"

_**Oaklore, Room of the Former Knights of the Pactoganal Table**_

Kiired approached the huge moving plant that was their leader and reported to him. "My lord, we have found her." A voice came out of the huge moving plant. "Very well… I will proceed to the War Camp immediately… All arms assemble immediately… Proceed to the Falconreach war camp immediately…" Irtes saluted and stepped down the steps. Alone, The Weed crossed his plant tentacles and rubbed them in a hand motion.

"_You are going down, Orchild...…For the Last Time!" _

AN: A short one, if anyone's still reading this.


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